Germany: Wartburg Castle
One of the oldest and most spectacular castles on the entire Germany, the Wartburg Castle was originally founded in 1067 on a high precipitous cliff at 410m/1350ft above the valley (where the town of Eisenach lies). It’s been regarded as one of the most historically important castles in Germany throughout history as it changed hands with different royalty and is full of legends and fairytales surrounding it. While truly spectacular from afar, it’s a quite a tourist trap (most visited site in the German state of Thuringia). During the DDR days, the Wartburg Castle was regarded as symbol of socialist strength. It’s a UNESCO World Heritage site. Just below the castle lies a very pretty slot canyon, Drackenshlucht, with walls overgrown with moss and hiking trail through the canyon and above.
